Adventures of the Past ... and Future.

Yesterday marked one month of my arrival back home to California, after being gone almost 2 years teaching in Spain.

My journey in Madrid was a remarkable experience that not only taught me so much about myself and the world, but also allowed me to have meaningful friendships with people all over the globe.

Madrid Players allowed me to have a niche in a world capital, and allowed me to do things I'd never thought possible. (Performing in front of audiences of 700+, doing a radio interview, being a pampered actress for makeup and hair, working with people who are truly stars and professionals on an off stage). This group was what made letting go of el sueño de Madrid (the Madrid dream) extremely heartbreaking.

Leaving the fantastic house that saved me from La Casa de Las Brujas, as also a sentimental venture. I went from having no brothers to having four :)

I wouldn't have thought that I would create such strong bonds as those that I have created with the people I have met in such a short time, but I am absolutely grateful for the hilarious and soulful moments. And the chance to continue to nurture these relationships for a long time.

All of the rushing home was due to my baby sister getting married!! It was hit the ground running as soon as I got home and even though we were hit with some huge curve balls (I'll ask if I can publish that story later) it all came out a nice day.

So what's next?....

So even though I am extremely sad that I can't continue on with the Madrid dream. Life has taken me to be placed in Extremadura, Spain. A region on the west side bordering Portugal. I will work in a pueblo of 6,000 people, and I will be able to use this extra year to cross off other destinations off of my to see list.

As my chapters evolve as will this blog and the stories shared in it. I'm sure I will have lots to say about pueblo life come October. So stay tuned, and Keep in touch!!

Besos,

CathyArely

A Magnolia Memoir

The hardest part sometimes when wanting to write is figuring out how to start.So I guess the most appropriate thing to do would be to start at the beginning. I've been away from blogging for a while and the reason (or in part) because I was a part of a play named after a flower.

Back in February word came out that the Madrid Players were going to do a production of Steel Magnolias. I got really excited because it's a story that is near and dear to my heart.... especially since my diabetic sister is planning her wedding, and I'm not available to be there. The other reason is because it's a great story about relationships you form, and having watched the movie a billion and one times, that story has made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. I wanted so badly to be a part of this production. I got even more excited when I found out the potential people I could be working with, including my good friend Parisa as the director.

So I found a monologue, went to the audition, and rocked it (despite other personal things going on in my life). The next day was emotional, and then I got the email, that despite being great, it was decided to go another direction. Though, I understood, thought it was logical, my heart sunk. Not only because I really wanted it, but because it was another moment to add to the endless list of times that I've been told "Yeah you'd be good but we want someone else" Not in those words... but the message is the same.

Then after two days of sulking on a trip to Asturias on a little day trip to Covadonga, I sat in a church in a cave and I prayed for the strength to overcome all of the emotions that were coming at me from every direction. Right then I got a text message from Parisa saying "call me when you can". I called her back immediately telling her sorry I couldn't get to her sooner, I didn't get good reception in the cave lol.

Then she starts "Well I wanted to ask you..." And right then and there I cut her off and said, "Yes, whatever you're going to ask me the answer is yes." Now that I think about it, it's a good thing she didn't ask me for a kidney lol. After lots of laughter, she offered me the part of Annelle and I accepted. Then the wonderful magical journey that was this production began.

I was so nervous and scared. This was the first full length non-musical play I'd ever done. I was working with absolutely gorgeous fabulous actresses that I look up to, and I had the slight taunting in my head that I was the 2nd choice (up until closing night). So I worked twice as hard, just like I always do, because everyday is a new opportunity to prove yourself, and (as Annelle would say) I guess it worked.

Being a part of this group was so much fun, because despite we had a lot of laughs that were scripted there were so many more real life laughs and smiles to go around. From rehearsal day one to closing night, and the marvelous pampering of getting made up for the show, you couldn't keep a smile from my face.

 I was ecstatic when Daryl Hannah (movie Annelle) replied to my tweet about being cast.

The long days of leaving the house at 8am and arriving at home an 12:30am were hard. Giving up Saturday night parties for Sunday morning rehearsals were all well worth it. The response to our play has been overwhelmingly positive, and people have even told me they're fans (still hard to conceive). I've always been famous in a small town, but famous in a big city is a whole other story...

So now all I can say is thank you, an enormous thank you to all of those involved to making this experience so marvelous and memorable and simply amazing. I can't begin to express my gratitude for being accepted into this little family. 

The tears came out during that final curtain call, because this chapter is over, and I'm left with uncertainty if I'll ever act on a Madrid stage again.Tears came out because of Mother's day and being on the other side of the world not having seen my momma in nearly 2 years. Tears of joy came out because all of our hard work paid off. 

I have  ticket to head to California on the 4th of July, and these next few weeks are going to be for the people who I've had to tell I was busy for the last 3 months, and I'm glad to be back. There are still so many reference following me around reminding me of this beautiful experience. It makes my heart swell to think about the bonds I've made becoming a Steel Magnolia. I know I am a blessed woman, and I'll try my best to live in the moment, and simply enjoy. 

~Cathy

Annelle

Photo Slideshow of the show here.

I'd Be Safe and Warm... If I was in LA

It's getting colder and I know back home people are getting to enjoy beautiful California weather...so I'm jealous!

And a little homesick, especially after reading this post on my original real blog, about the comfort of coming back home. 

I guess skype makes it all a little more bearable, I had a wonderful conversation with my niece who is going to be 3!

For now, I guess it's just California Dreamin'....

Oh... Pears are the best! :P

Actually I prefer peaches. lol Here's my mini vlog saying hellow during my au pair experience:

Adios home cooked meals just like mom's (aka delicious and free).

Leave the love!

@Cathy Arely

7 Things I've Missed While Abroad

So our new Reader Spotlight Miriam wrote this blog entry based off of a Huffington Post article, and I decided to jump on the bandwagon. So here are my 7 (in no particular order).

1. Not having to think too hard about what time it is when I want to call someone. 

The difference between Madrid and home is a whopping 9 hour time difference. So it can get a bit annoying when I want to call my mom when I get home from work, but it's 5am. Or I get a phone call from my best friend but it's 3am so I missed it. Also dealing with "business" things like calling about student loans and the like around 11pm in a noisy apartment doesn't make for the best either.

2. Being able to take out the trash whenever I'd like/need to

Spain as far as I've seen has got a bit more of a handle on the whole waste scene, with recycling bins everywhere to separate cardboard/glass/plastic/waste. The thing is you can only throw away your trash at a certain time. For my building they don't take out the trash bins until around 8pm til about 12am. Monday-Friday. So if I get a burst of energy to clean and get the dirt out around 3pm, I'm out of luck. The trash stays in the house. Or if I get home late from a long day, once I get in and get comfy, I have to go out again just for the trash. Boo.

3.  Ross

This wonderful store that has been the leader in my retail therapy meanderings for a while now. Lots of cute things for decent prices, and in sizes that fit more than just my 2 year old niece. And to add to it, I miss shopping the way I used to, I'm kind of scared to do too much shopping here because of the suitcases I'm going to have to pack when I'm finally going home.

4. Being able to do laundry in a Day

If you're like me, and procrastinate immensely on getting your laundry done, that huge pile of clothes can be intimidating. Set aside one day to do a handful of rounds of washing, 45 minutes in the washer, 20 in the dryer, fold put away, and you're set for the next month!! (lol) Here in Spain with no dryers...great for less energy consumption...for my clothes, not so much. Hanging clothes to dry on a line takes significantly longer, making time in between loads greater, and living in a house with 4 other people, that time can be precious.

5. Home Cooked Meals

Nothing beats having a warm plate of delicious food prepared by a dear family member. Carne asada, arroz, pupusas, tamales, pasteles, caldo de pollo, carne guisado, or a turkey sandwich. It's all good in the neighborhood. <3

6. More Crosswalks with Traffic Signals

I've been a bit of a scaredy cat my whole life, so having to cross a big street with lots of cars on a crosswalk with no traffic signal is a bit problematic for me. Trusting that the car coming at you is going to stop just because you have the right of way is never easy. Sometimes you gotta do it though because you'll either get looked at like an idiot for waiting for cars to cross, or wait forever. I usually wait until someone else shows up so in case someone is going to get hit, I'm not leading the charge jaja!

7. Family and Friends

This really goes without saying... but with so much going on back home the people are what I really miss the most. My niece is talking up a storm, nephews and cousins playing baseball and soccer, friends getting married, graduating, getting together and having a good time, all while I'm 6,000 miles away.

Perhaps this wasn't the best idea now that the fact that I'll probably be separated from my loved ones for at least 2 years, but I have a lot going on here for me too. It's great to have good things all around the world. 

Fellow expats- What are your 7? Feel free to link up or share in the comment section!

Much love,

Cathy

To Be Continued...

Well this posts title can be attached a number of ideas. The first being, I've left you all hanging for a while now without a REAL update on what's going on in La Vida de Cathy, so stay tuned...

Life in Spain has been a roller coaster, countless times have I just sat and thought, "Is this really happening?" I've climbed social mountains, health mountains, housing mountains, and much to my surprise professional mountains as well. 

Just as I was on the rise of enthusiasm with my experience here, I was hit with an atomic bomb, that I was not wanted at my school for the upcoming year, just before having to super glue a smile to my face in front of 20 adolescents and keep them excited about their progress in English. I allowed myself the cry a river on the bus ride home, then put my game face on. Up until that moment, I had not been sure about my stay here since it had been so rocky, but in time it took for me to realize that staying might not be an option, my gut told me that's what I wanted to do. I went to talk to the people I needed to talk to, but to no reward, it was only in the hands of those who I work under. So after gathering a support team, highlighted all of the regulations I needed in my corner, I went and pleaded my case. Even if they didn't keep me at the same school, it was a death sentence (okay, so I'm a little dramatic) to keep me out of the entire program. Perseverance paid off and I was able to get the papers I needed in order to renew my contract here in Spain. In order to get what I wanted though I had to send everything to the office where you change regions, essentially meaning I wouldn't be in Madrid, in theory. I banked on the the inefficiency of the system, that because I had preferenced Madrid on my application, and it has the most positions in all of Spain that the odds were in my favor to stay, but I wouldn't know that for sure until I got my letter. And the waiting game begins. 

A few weeks after the deadline to turn in the application all of my auxiliar friends in Madrid had received their Madrid placement emails. My inbox was still empty. A bit disheartening, but not all hope lost. I continued to wait as the facebook wall of the Auxiliares group was filling with posts about placements. 

One afternoon as I got comfortable in my room after a long day of teaching, there it was, as sly and unexpected as can be, my email from the ministry of education. I held my breath and clicked on the link, and in that moment I saw my outsmarting had worked. I received a placement for MADRID for next school year!!! I didn't know what to do with myself. For what seems like soo long (2 months) my future was hanging by a thread and now the biggest weight was off my shoulders. I have something to work toward, a goal to upkeep.

This news brought me to looking for tickets home for the summer to go and see my family and friends who I miss incredibly (Yes, I miss you incredibly). Unfortunately, tickets to go home for summer are looking right around $1100 to $1500, a very depressing sight. And with nothing secure here in Spain, it was even more depressing. Too poor to live in Spain, and too poor to go home. AHH! Talk about between a rock and a hard place. The summer job I had sort of been counting on fell through, and I played around with applying at camps, and/or otherwise racking up massive credit card debt and be poor at home. 

Well today my email graced me once again with some good news. I got hired to teach at a summer camp for the month of July, with not a bad salary. Unfortunately, it's not enough to send me laughing all the way to the airline counter, but things should be a little easier for the beginning of next school year. Which brings me to why this news is bittersweet. It's the realization that I am probably not going to go home for the summer (never say never...but...). It is also the realization that it may well be until NEXT summer that I get to be home. I know what you're thinking... Cathy you're living your dream, stop complaining. I know this, I just can't help, but think about my parents, and my sister who is going to be getting married!!, and my babies back home,  and my friends. 2 years just seems like a really long time. Either way I know I am blessed to have such great opportunities and people around the globe, and I appreciate them all and know how fast any of them can not be an option. So ending the pity party, and wrapping up this post. 

Lots of things to look forward to, putting on that smile and doing it. Some great posts about trips and events around Madrid, as well as more writing of articles. For now you can go check out the poetry explosion on my other blog (videos soon to come). Thanks for reading, and sticking with me y'all. We're still on the ride. 

-@CathyArely 

Picture Source: Google.com 

Blessed

Hey Hey everyone,

  Now I know many of you have been waiting eagerly to hear my update since I've arrived to the land of los conquistadores, but first I'd like to write about a realization of mine in the midst of all this "moving across the world" business.

  That realization is that I am a blessed woman (a term I'm not all to comfortable referring to myself as yet, but all the same, the time had to come at one time or another.) And I know of course some of you are thinking, "Of course you're blessed you get to spend a year in Europe?!" But that's besides the point...and I'd like to think of this experience not only as a blessing but the fruit of many years of hard work that it has taken for my to get to this point (but that is a whole other conversation all together.)

  Getting back to the point...these last few weeks has brought forth the blessings in my life in the form of the wonderful people that are in my life (making it even harder to leave them for the extended amount of time I have alotted away).

  The first of many wonderful surprises is that my family threw me a surprise going away party. My whole family came to say goodbye, wish me well, and tell me they'll miss me. On top of that, they made CARNE ASADA, ARROZ y PUPUSAS!! A wonderful meal and a great time with everyone, and I mean EVERYONE. It was really touching that even people who are not those who visit on the regular, made the effort to come around, and it was all for ME! <3 

Familia Ramirez 1998ish

 

 

 

Ramirez Family 2011

  Having my family together alone would be the most I could ever ask for, but the week got better. Earlier in the summer I  had mentioned to my mom that I would have loved to buy a kindle, so I could read and not sacrifice luggage space but alas because of my I'm-saving-all-my-pennies status, that was just something that I was going to have to wait to do when I was a rich and successful person. I had only mentioned this in passing, not really thinking anything of it, but then right before leaving my mother and sister decided to surprise me and get me one as a going away present!!

  The last surprise to "take the cake" on all of this was the night before I left (as I was doing all of my last minute purchases/packing in true Cathy fashion) I went to see one of my tias to say my final goodbye to her, my abuelita, and my cousins. My cousin David who is 6 couldn't contain his excitement, as soon as he opened the door he said "we have a present for you!" After some small talk, and a few kisses to my cousins too young to remember me by the time I come back, David had gotten his mom to go get my present. It was an inspirational calendar with great quotes and things for each month. Each month also had a letter for me to open when the time comes, with appropriate themes (a gingerbread man with David's picture on it and a Chrismas picture for december). I was so touched, I actually teared up.

I am ever thankful for all of the amazing people I have been blessed to have a part of my life.

A better update soon to come, Thanks for reading!

~Cat

Past-Roots, Present-Life, and Future-Seeds...always intertwined

Hey Hey all!

So I think this is good, within 10 days of my last post I'm creating a new one (go me!) lol actually I was inspired to do this post a few days ago, but alas the calling needs of the PRESENT at times prove to be an obstacle.

What actually inspired this was a conversation that I had with my abuelita (grandmother). She was telling me about her life in El Salvador. She shared with me things that I hadn't known before. What stuck out the most to me, is that she was telling me stories about when she was La Presidenta for the board of her community, San Vicente. She had also been a leader in the church. She was someone who spent time raising funds for good causes, helping out people who needed it. This struck me because it shed light onto where my ambitions come from. I always knew that my family supports me in my endeavors, even as crazy as they seem. What I failed to realize is that perhaps my knack for leading isn't something that just sprouted out of nowhere because I thought it was a good idea, it was something that was in my blood my PAST driving the FUTURE.

There are so many more stories that I'd like to get out of my family before it is too late, although I am scared to, because I know it can provoke horrible memories of a tragic time in a place where some of my raíces-roots come from. This semester I took a Central American Studies class and reading about stories from that area, just makes me more hungry for that personal history. I need to know those stories, so that I can pass them down to my children, and grandchildren, and make sure they know their raíces. I'll find the courage to one day open that Pandora's box, I guess I just need to figure out the right way to do it without unleashing too many demons.

Speaking of demons... lol Last week was a very tough week. At the courthouse there was a situation that made me upset, because I felt helpless against the system in order to help one of the many people who come to see us there. Even after it was all over my body still felt tense and upset, for the rest of the evening. To make matters worse, that day I received a letter from CSUN stating that I hadn't completed the requirements to graduate. Right there stress levels through the roof, rant all up on my fb page, makin' phone calls trying to get business handled. After a trip to the valley, a few phone calls, and emails later, I can say my diploma's in the mail! Just waiting for me to rock the FUTURE and show the world what I can do as ALUMNI.


So I guess what I'm going to take from all of this is that from the roots grows what life may be, from there we bask in the fruit life gives us, and leave the seeds to replenish our future--lol I guess I'm feeling a little extra poetic today.

Thanks for reading. Comments are always appreciated :)

<3 Cat

We Are Not Invincible

Hey all,

Unfortunately the motivation that I have for coming and writing this blog is not one of joy, or excitement, or laughter. I'm here to share my thoughts and feelings after something very tragic happened this weekend.

A young man, loved by many, passed away. Taken away from those who love him far to early, leaving behind heavy hearts and wonderful memories. I didn't know this young man personally, but his story hits close to home. Not only because this tragedy happened in Rosamond, my very small home town, but because of the circumstances.

The connection I have with this young man lies with one very special person, my sister Lilly. Brett Wallis was 19 years old, and a diabetic. My sister is 19 years old, and a diabetic. From what I am told the reason for Brett's passing is because his sugar went too low during his sleep. When my sister gave me the news this Sunday, barely being able to speak tears down her face, my heart sunk. My sister has lived with diabetes since she was 7 years old, and Brett was one of the few people who could relate to her experiences. Any family who has had to deal with this, knows it's an emotional roller coaster.

It's unfortunate moments such as this that make us reflect and realize that we are not invincible. We are here on Earth for an amount of time, and we can't get an extension, or the chance to really say goodbye to the ones we love.

Which leaves me with an uneasy feeling as I prepare to be 5,792 miles away from those I cherish most. I know I can't be scared to go out and live my life, but I know now I will be saying I love you more often, and holding on a little longer when I give a hug. Skype is going to be my best friend next year.

My apologies to those reading this for my lack of coherency and semantic beauty (haha) that generally accompany my posts, but I just needed to write.

My heart and deepest condolences go out to the Wallis family.

RIP Brett <3

~Cat

The Let's Catch Up Blog

Hey everyone!

So the time has come for me to update my blog thoroughly and fully as I would have liked to have been doing consistently throughout this year, but alas my crazy schedule that I gave myself didn't allow me to. There is no time like the present so here goes a semesters worth of thoughts, experiences, reflections, and thanks to those who have contributed to my persona. I do not know how long this blog is going to get, but for your (the reader's) convenience I am going to have subtitles for each section I'm going to talk about to make it easier to navigate through, and you can bypass the parts you don't want to read...although I'm sure you'll want to read all of it, right?

The Big Accomplishment:

So I guess that is the big news in my life at the moment is... I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE!! A journey that wouldn't have been possible without so many people. Many of whom will be mentioned later in the blog. My time at CSUN seems to have blown by and be filled with many amazing memories. 5 years well spent exploring and figuring out a little bit more of who I am, and where I am going. It was a great close to a wonderful chapter, and now I'm one of over 200,000 ALUMNI!!!
So I've graduated college and there's only one question that comes out of anybody that you tell you've just graduated (and my fellow recent graduates and college senior know what I'm talking about). What are you going to do now? Up until one week ago this question really freaked me out because I didn't have a real answer for it. I had applied to teach in Spain, but didn't have any definitive answer. Up until the last year and a half I was so sure of my path into an LAUSD class room as an elementary school teacher, and the closer I got to graduation the less I knew what I wanted to do with my life (as you have read in previous posts about new law school aspirations). It's definitely a scary feeling when you're future is uncertain, but I have a little bit more time to worry about it because the next 1-3 years of my life are set. I'M GOING TO MADRID!! On May 27, 2011 I woke up in my Reseda apartment, checked my email, and there was the message I'd been waiting for since NOVEMBER!! I got placed! I literally screamed in my apartment, and immediately accepted the position. The position is with a program between the Spanish and United States to help teachers in Spain K-12 schools with English, and other subjects. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, scared, and thrilled all at once. It's going to be a pain to finish the process to get there, but alas there an adventure that awaits me :)

My New York Adventure

For those of you who don't know, I took a trip to NYC during Spring Break to celebrate my birthday, last Spring Break as an undergrad, and as a reunion for my AArmy friends who I met while I was studying abroad in Puerto Rico. Those ten days are going to forever going to be in my memory as a fantastic experience. For the full effect, you can see a photo book I created two entries down.

It really was the trip of a lifetime. I scheduled the 10 day trip- over extending my 7 day Spring break. It was a really interesting time because in addition to balancing out all of the exploring that I had to do since it was my first time in NYC/East Coast, I also had to work on my million and one projects/papers/studying/readings. This is because realistically I couldn't take 10 days off and not do any work, so I had to take my laptop and library books along with. So I get to New York 3pm and bravely decide to trek through the New York Subway system to my absolutely wonderful friend Joyanet's apartment. An hour and a half, and 3 trains later I arrived to the right stop by a miracle. I had the directions on my email of my phone, which I thought would stay open, but as soon as I lost reception on the subway the app closed. So I did it all on MEMORY!! It was a very proud moment lol. Once I was at the stop I was waiting for Joy to come get me so that we could walk to her apartment together and I kept getting super strange looks from people (and all with good reason...I was wearing flip-flops). Now to defend my choice of footwear, I must say that I did have my tennis shoes in my back pack ready to go. I hate having to take off and put on my shoes when I'm at the airport, so I wear the flip-flops to make the process easier. The original plan was to wear the flip-flops til I got to NYC and then change them once I got to JFK, but when I got there, the weather wasn't really as bad as I had expected cold East coast weather to be, so I kept them on. Needless to say I definitely got those "Ugh, a tourist" looks as I was standing outside of H&M.
The next few days were filled with great exploring and much needed relaxation. I ate real New York cheesecake (Chocolate Mousse!), and watched a few movies, studied at the New York public library. I met some great people through my friend Joy as well as I got to catch up with some extended family members on the East Side. I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my Aunt Leslie, which is generally a $20 suggested donation (they even have big signs at the front making it seem as if this $20 is mandatory). Leslie and I get out $5 each ready and waiting in line. Leslie goes first and gives her the $5 bill, the attendant asks how many, and Leslie quickly responds "Two." The look on the girls face was pretty hilarious, so off we went inside to explore. In the museum we went to Britain, China, Asia, and Egypt (and got lost in all of the exhibits). That museum is so large you probably could go at least 3 times and not see everything. We were excited once we were able to find the exit. From there we ventured around, until we met up with my cousin Monica in the evening. It was a heartfelt meeting because Leslie and Monica hadn't seen each other in probably over 10 years. It made me feel really special to take part in that wonderful moment. We then went looking for these wonderful mini cupcakes, getting lost again, til we found them, and headed to a movie. It was pretty funny because both Leslie and Monica had the same reaction with the cupcakes "where's the rest of it?" haha they were pretty mini.
I also got to share another great experience with Leslie...going to a BROADWAY musical!!! We saw Avenue Q, which I thought was absolutely funny/wonderful/amazing. My old roommate Beylah and her boyfriend Chris had mentioned this show to me earlier, and so I wanted to check it out. If you've talked to me at all since I've been back from this trip I'm pretty sure I've mention some sort of reference to this show I fell in love with it (enough to buy the soundtrack and vocal sheet music). If you have a chance to see Avenue Q-- GO SEE IT (CSUN Theatre Dept. Spring 2012)
The next day on my birthday the rest of the AArmy crew arrived (Ricky, Isabel, and Treavor), a sweet reunion since we last saw each other in December 2009. Right from the beginning it was one adventure after the other. We had to find parking for Ricky's car, which is extremely tricky on the upper east side Manhattan (and I'm sure everywhere else too). Isabel and I had a great spot marked as we were waiting for the boys to come with the car from the parking garage. They had found a spot, and called to see if we had one that was closer and we said "We got a great one." As they come around the corner, and ask us if it where we were standing is the spot, they show us the fire hydrant that is like 5 feet away from us.(No wonder people weren't fighting us for the spot). So we went off looking again for a spot. Once settled we hopped on a train to head to the Yankee game we had planned to go to, only to find that the $5 tickets we planned on getting had sold out 20 minutes earlier and the cheapest tickets we could get were sold out and the cheapest we could get were $60 tickets to a game that had already started. With some luck and some quick thinking we were able to get into the game, explore the stadium and witness a Yankee win!
The rest was exploring non-stop.Wall street, Times Square, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, we even went into FAO Schwarts which has the Big Piano from the Movie Big with Tom Hanks. I totally wanted to get on it, but the only people there were like 4 and 5 year olds so I figured it would be inappropriate, and only took a picture of the sign instead.
Our biggest adventure though, came on our way to my birthday dinner. We were off to get some mofongo (traditional dish from Puerto Rico) in Washington Heights. The subway station that we were at (181st St.) doesn't have any stairs, the subway is 18 stories from the ground floor, so the only way out is the elevator. So we get into the elevator 28 of us in there total (7 from the AArmy crew). We start heading up and about a minute in we just sort of stop. One lady that is in there with us quickly makes a joke about, "Sorry guys, but I always get stuck in elevators..." We all sort of laugh it off the elevator operator pushes a few buttons we move a few feet, and then we stop again. Not two minutes after we stop the same girl starts freakin' out hyperventilating and tellin' us she's gonna get charged extra for picking up her son late from daycare. The elevator operator calls the central office to tell them that we are stuck, and they say they are on it. Without any more information than "We are taking care of it," people start freaking out. We didn't know how long we were going to be in there for (almost 2 hours), and it was hot (people were layered because of the cold weather outside, which made it more uncomfortable). The one thing that made me the most irritated was the older couple standing behind me. The lady kept bugging her husband to see what was going on so every 10 minutes he would ask the attendant "What are you doing to remedy the situation?", when we all saw the same thing--she called the main office and help was on the way. Finally, the woman tells the attendant "You don't understand, you're not understanding, you have to help us, you have educated people on this elevator..." lol. Just had to bite my tongue on that one... We also had a 9 year old girl with us who started to freak out along the way, we had her calmed down for a bit, but when everyone started freaking out and banging on the elevator walls it just set off the whole panic attack. The firefighters came to rescue us, as we had to climb a ladder through the roof of the elevator and jump through to the elevator next door. We survived the experience, I admire Rachel for doing it in heels. As horrible as it sounds, I didn't find it that bad, my friends and I were mostly just talking and joking with each other making the experience a little more bearable, and we're famous! NBC, ABC, CBS, Good Morning America, Univision, all had our story, check out the Huffington Post article at this link.
The remainder of our time together went by so quickly. A tipsy Saturday and a wardrobe malfunction leading me to trip over my pants and land right in the middle of the dance floor, a Walk through Central Park, finishing my homework assignment that was due before I got back to Cali, eating an absolutely delicious meal at Serendipity, taking a cab, a waste of money play (NEVER GO SEE A PERFECT MURDER), and a perfect night in Times Square.
I really did fall in love with New York City, and could possibly see myself there for a short while...all that blizzard stuff is kind of a turn off haha. I guess we'll just have to wait for the right opportunity to take a bite into the big apple.

My Improv Fam

New York was one of the things that awoke my need to get back in the performing scene (Glee contributed significantly as well haha), but one other thing that helped me get back into the groove was improv. This semester I was fortunate enough to be able to enroll in an improv class, 6 hours a week, 6 hours of escape from meetings, papers, agendas, books, 6 hours of laughter and creativity. I never would have imagined myself as a person who would take part in comedy world, since show tunes are my forte, but in the summer of 2008 I was looking for that escape from the books and landed in an improv improv class at Antelope Valley College. It turns out I'm kind of good at it (debatable...judge for yourself...video from this semester's final here).
To be honest I was really nervous to come into the improv class at CSUN. It was a class that required the teacher's permission, and an audition (I knew I was an OKAY improviser, but was I really good enough to compete with all of these people who were theatre). Audition came and went and little by little the 26 of us became an improv troupe. The strangers we were at the beginning allowed the ice to melt with our games like scorpion and fruit basket. We became different people when we did our scenes, but I think we were able to let loose most during the lip-sync *click for mine*.
I think that by the end of the class we were like a little family. I feel so appreciative of the fact that I had the opportunity to work with such talented people who have decided to dedicate their lives to an art that brings such joy. It makes me think at times that I took the "easy way out" by sticking to the books instead of the stage (cause I'd still more than anything would love to be on Broadway), but I guess a valuable lesson I've learned with these wonderful individuals is that it's not too late, and maybe I will hit a big break and be "ONE! Singular sensation...lol" I really think I'm going to be looking for auditions in the future :)
The final for our class was a fun and bittersweet experience. We had fun because there is a kind of adrenaline that takes over when you are performing in front of an audience that doesn't know what to expect, and it was bittersweet because our experience together spending 6 hours a week for 16 weeks ended. Dinner at Chilli's was a cherry on top to a semester full of Cathys & Katherines and the many variations that come along with it, questions and statements, the ghetto kindergartners, and the fierce competition to be the winner of Story, Story DIE!

My spot in the History Department is History...

The History Department at CSUN since I started working there in September 2007 has been a home for me. Almost four years of answering phones, making coffee, putting the mail where it's supposed to go, making appointments for advisement, delivering important documents, copying/scanning books, shredding, inputting grades, and other miscellaneous tasks. This was only my second "real" job (2nd to working at the bookstore as a cashier 2 semesters), and not only did it teach me to do all of these clerical duties, but I feel that my experience here extends far beyond the coffee beans and copy machine. Through this "in" I learned more than I could imagine about how the university works and an insight a potential career path for me.
As I cleared out my desk, it was hard to leave something that had been so familiar for so long, one of the few things that were stable during my college journey. This job saved me from a great worry about money, and provided some wonderful mentors. My little office in ST 610 will always be dear to me, as one of the building blocks of my character. :)

UA:
Undoubtedly Awesome
University Ambassadors

This year I was blessed to be the President of the University Ambassadors. It was a task I was so nervous about taking, having sort of fallen into to position with the rest of my e-board as the only ones running for the spots, but we sure pulled it together in a year full of transitions. I lived and breathed ambassadors this year starting from meeting every week last summer in order to make an awesome retreat (which we did). Transition from an E-board with experienced members to five first timers, transition from our beloved advisor to another who will unleash much potential. I learned more than I expected this year, which has been a great privilege. We got a glimpse into the professional world as one of the interview committees for the Assistant Director Position for Student Outreach and Recruitment, and all of the professional perks of being able to network with all of the "VIPs".
I've said this during my speeches during banquet, and to various individuals about the program, but I'll say it here so it's in print FOREVER haha... I'm truly grateful to the great organization of Ambassadors that as cliche as it sounds...has brought me life long friends. Because of UA I have created relationships that will go beyond the CSUN walls and venture off to exciting places.
I can only hope that I too have made an impact on others in the organization as well as the program itself because I really gave my all as soon as the title of President was handed to me. Once an ambassador, always an ambassador.

H-A-U-Know!!

The stepping stone to what I am today, lies in an organization created by a group of ladies in Berkeley 1994. Last year at the XV celebration I was honored to be the student speaker to tell about my journey through Hermanas, and what it has done for me. This year my participation in hermanas really wasn't at all what I had anticipated, but I've learned that those obstacles aren't going to hold me back from giving to the organization that helped a lonely freshman girl in 2007 become a college graduate.
5 years, countless social and community service events, 8 retreats, 7 littles, a bunch of study hours, plenty of fundraisers later, and one scholarship later is the ORIGINAL Cathy with a B.A. and determination to use what she learned through this organization to spread the hermandad :)

My CAUSistas

CAUSA was the first organization that I branched to after I joined HAU. I wanted to be a part of it because it was a chance to get to know people that had similar background as I did. I didn't have to explain to them what a pupusa was. What I didn't know is that I bargained for another group of great friends and memories that make me smile. I learned so much about the Central American culture and history, and I know that through the CAUSA I am more aware about issues, and am able to make an impact in my community.

Closing

So I know that this ended up being a super long blog, and I thank those of you who have made it down to the end. It' is kind of like you have made it next to me through this journey that I've had these last five years, and especially the rough waters that were crossed this year (2 presidencies, 19 units, 3 capstone classes). There are so many individuals that I could thank, but then again that would take a lot more space than I've already used, but I guess I'll close with one big thanks to my professors who challenged and supported me, to my friends who have listened and given me a great time, and to my family for giving me the motivation to keep going to make you proud #6 has a B.A.- It's your turn :)

Thanks again for reading, Comments are always appreciated.

<3
~Cathy
La Presidenta (Ahh I have to figure out what I'm going to do with my email signature!! :0/)

Many things change...but somethings just stay the same...

Hey Hey all,

Since I cannot bring myself to be productive tonight I shall do something sort of productive for myself in keeping up (or atleast more so than usual) with my blog. So we already knocked out 2 weeks of the semester. (Krazy!) It seems like the million dollar word for this semester is CAPSTONE (I know, it's my last semester, so it's appropriate...blah blah blah lol) Capstone as in--15 page thesis to receive my Spanish Degree, 10 page capstone paper in children's literature and geography capstone class for my liberal studies degree, all of that on top of a FRIDAY (super lame) 3 hour geography class, a 10 page paper with annotated bibliography for Central American Studies, and a 30 minute group presentation, where my group members aren't even the slightest bit interested in the topic or the Chicano Studies class for that matter. Don't take my mini-rant as a way of discontent with what is to come. I am actually enjoying this semester a lot. I think the cherry on top for me has been my improv class. Even though it is 6 hours a week, I just get to go there and be funny, and mingle with people who I otherwise wouldn't have. I think by the end of the semester I shall be a much better improver and who knows maybe that will be the reason you'll see my name in lights one day...lol or atleast in the program for our final show (May 18, 2011 @ 6 pm).
It never seems to fail that at the beginning of the semester, I have super high hopes of keeping up with everything so that I can keep myself relatively stress free thought the course of the semester, and at a certain point (some semesters earlier than others) all of that optimism goes out the window because it is smacked upside the head with reality. Procrastination (a good friend of mine) sets in until about 3 weeks before school is over then near stress breakdown until the end, only to find that I did pretty well. At Week 2, I am trying really hard not to fall into that pattern, but seeing my to-do list at the end of each day and the time of day that is left, can at times be discouraging. I'll hold on as long as I can especially since I plan at being at the library so much they'll probably start charging me rent :P

A hard part of being so busy with school (and 70 miles from home) is that the time I have with my family between winter and summer is very minimal. In fact before coming back to the valley on my dad's birthday, we went out to Olive Garden, and I picked up the tab and said Happy Birthday to my Dad, my Mom, and my sister Lilly, because I knew I wasn't going to get to see them before their birthday's passed. Speaking of birthday, what makes this "not being able to see my family really" phase a bit harder is that I just had a baby cousin born and it makes me a little sad that I am not there to bask in the whole newborn atmosphere that is going on with the fam. I know he's not going to remember that I didn't meet him til he was 2 months old, but I am. Well, after my graduation (MAY 25, 2011 lol) I'll have some solid time con la familia.

Since 2011 is the year of changes, it was a time for a look change too!!

Before

After

I miss the long locks some times, but soon enough I'll have them again. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Thank you if you've made it this far down my blog, Comments are always appreciated :)

<3 Cat